Andrea Bocelli's is a strikingly individual voice, a plangent tenor given to shaded crooning yet capable of exhilarating, effortless lifts to high C. The individual behind the voice is equally remarkable: blind from childhood, Tuscan Bocelli became a lawyer whose passion for music led him to study with his idol Franco Corelli. He records both classical and pop music, but unlike most pop singers who try the classics, he has the chops; unlike most opera stars who cross over into pop he has the ability to create the illusion of simple, spontaneous expression.

VIAGGIO ITALIANO comprises songs that would have formed the heart of an Italian-American's 78-rpm record collection in the 1920s. There are beloved opera arias such as "La Donna e Mobile" from Verdi's 'Rigoletto,' spiritual classics like Schubert's "Ave Maria," and sentimental Neapolitan songs such as "O Sole Mio," which were among the first international pop hits in the early days of recording. By going here, Bocelli invites comparisons with legends of the past--Caruso, Gigli, Lanza--all mentioned in his liner note, but he knows what he's doing and he does it with confidence and affection.